Coal-mining machine



"Janwl 7, 1928 1,656,524 N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 7, 1918 8 s t 1 3.11mi HVVEJYTOR. WITNESSES W 0a ATTORNEY.

N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING MACHINE a snee os-sne't 2 Original Filed Oct. '7. 1918 IN VEN T OR.

BY Win44 A T T ORNE Y.

N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. '7, 1918 3 s t s t 3 MAM INVENTOR.

WITLMQSES A TTORNEY.

Agwwi Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,524

N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING MACHINE Original File i Oct. 7; 1918 8 Sheets-Shet 4 INVENTOR.

542W" BY m (p ATTORNEY.

5" Jan: 17, I928. 1 656 524 N. D. LEVIN CQAL MINING MACHINE Original Fi1ed.0ct."7, 1918 8 Sheets-Shet 5 WIN/E8858:

8 4 1 5 I MIXED/TOR,

. M Luv WC 7 m M J @wwm ATTORNEY Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,524

N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. '7, 1918 3 h 't 6 H x a?! 109 10a [05 101 10 107 E 73 I .a 3

IWWWWJMIM i as INVENTOR.

MAJ/g I ATTORNEY;

, Ia-111.17, 192s.

COAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed Qct. '7. 1918 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 an! Q m M W ATTORNEY.

Jafi. 17,1928.

- 1,656,524 N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. '7, 1918 8 Sheets-She't 8 56 55 J0 J10 1:. mo [03 .704 09 1 Z 12- 22 O O I, 1 I I L l O Q 1 l 21 4] J3 J6 z;

7s 71 I 5 I #1 l m I EH g 47 in 54 l 73 o O N l L .7

INVENTOB. WITNESSES:

Mix,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIILS n. LEVIN, or COLUMBUS, orrro, Assrdri'on 'ro THE J'errnnr rin rrur'ncronme COMPANY, OF conurasus, onto, a CORPORATION" DE 01310.

coA -MrmNe MACHINE.

Application filed October 7, 1918, Seria1 No. 257,158. Renewed June 4, 1926. i

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in coal mining posit it in the conveyer for transportation rearwardly of the machine.

The devices by which I are fully set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which i Figs, 1 and 2 constitute a general plan view of the preferred embodiment of my invention. 7

Figs. 3 and at constitute a side elevation of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1" and 2.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section along theline 6-6 of Figs. 1 and 5. l

'7 is a section along the line 7-7 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 88 of Fi 9 is a section along Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 isa section along the line 1010 of Fig. 2, i

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the machine illustrati ng its operation.

iii 12 is a detail of the apron supporting hinge.

Fig. 13 is a general plan view of the machine illustrating its relation to the material to be mined.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view illus ing "the operation of the machine.

Like numerals refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Epeaking broadly this machine comprises a bottom pan adapted to rest upon and slide in any direction over the floor of the the line 9 9 of mine and to be anchored in fixed relation.

to the coal face during the operation of the machine. Upon the bottom pan mounted attain this object 1 devices by which the several elements of .the

machine are actuated. In thedrawings the numeral 1 indicates, as anentirety, the bottom pan which is adapted to rest directly upon the floor ofthe mine, This pan consists of a rectangular steel plate the edges at 2, to facilitate its slidingin any direction over the floor of the mine. The plate 1 is stiffened by longitudinally extending steel bars 3 and by an angular angle bar 4 all of which are electrically welded to the surface of the plate. At its forward end the plate 1 is semi circular in form and the annular stiffening angle lis positioned adjacent and concentric with this end of the plate. Concentric with the annular bar 4: is a pivot bearing 5 which engages the downwardly projeotingpivot post 6 of the main frame casting T to preventits lateral displacement relative tothe pane Attached to the plate 1 in a concentric circle outside of the sti'lfening angle 4: is a plurality of bearing brackets 8 in whichare mounted antitriction bearing rollers 9; The main frame casting 7 is' supported directly upon these rollers 9 and constitutes a turntable, adapted to rotation in either direction, uponwhich the operative parts of the machineare mounted. 1

Attached to the main frame 7 is an elec tric motor 10 arranged to actuate the machine, and I have indicated at 11 a controlling mechanism, having an. operating handle 12 convenient to the hand of the operator, by which the motor may be con'trollelgl. The motor 10 is connected with the controller 11, and also with any convenient source of electric power, "by suitable electric conductors whichare. not shown in the drawings asthey form 110. part 111 the present invenof which are turned upward as indicated tion I have shown an electric motor, but

it is to'beborne in mindithat any type of motor may be employed which is suitable to the conditions under which the machine operates.

Formed on the motor 10 are "ournal bearings l3 inwhich are mounted the tru-nnions ill and 15 ot'a cradle casting 16 upon which carried the cutting mechanism and the gathering mechanism ofthe machine, as will j hereinafter appear. J ournaled in, a bear ng formed in the trunnion l5 and in a second bearing 17 supportedon apedestal of the main frame T, is a transverse power shaft 18 from which the several elements of the machine are actuated and which is itself driven from the motor 10 through the spur gear 19 and the armature pinionQO.

The cutting mechanism comprises a ver' tically disposed loop shaped cutter frame 21 upon which travels an endless cutter chain :22 having renewable cutter bits 23 ada 'ited to out a kerf in the coal body above, behind, and below a. section otthe mine wall to entirely sever it from the mass of the vein. The cutter chain 22 is of the type well known in the mining machine art, consisting of alternate strap and block: links, and is engaged by a sprocketwhcel 2%,1nounted upon the power shaftolS. Upon the hub of this sprocket wheel El is formed clutch teeth 25 adapted to engage with similar teeth of. the

clutch member 26 splined to the shattin a mannercommon to suchclutches.

The cutter irame 21 1s termed ot a steel bar 27, of rectangular cross section, to the sides of which are attached the plates 28' the projecting edges oiwhich form theguide ways in which the chain 22 travels. The rectangularbar 2? is bent toform a loop and is secured at both ends to the vertical plate 29 which is attaehed to a flange of the cradle casting .10. In order to facilitate handling the machine in the minethe vertical width of lhe. cutter frame 21 is made lessthan the total height ot the coal vein which is to beremovcd, and this cutter frame .is adapted to rotary movement aboutthe trunuions let and 15 and isso l'orn'led that when. 'in its upper position of adjustment the upper side 3-50 of the loop will be parallel with the general direct on of the coal seam atthe line of the root of the mine, to

remove the upper portion of the coal vein, and when in its lower position the lower side 31 of the loop will be parallel with the general direction of the coal seam atthe line of the floor of the mine, to remove the lower portion of the vein. W'henthe min placed adjacentthe coal face,

ing machine is and the turn table is IOllflteduln. the chrec lion to causethe cutter bits23 to engage the coal face, there will be formed a loop shaped kcrf extending above, behind, and below a section of the coal, entirely severing said section from the body oi the VCIIL.

the beginning of each cycle ol. operation.

to adjust the cutting mechanism to its upper position, as illustrated in Fig. 15, and remove. a section from the upper portion of the mine wall, after which the cutting mechanism may be rotated on the trunnions let and 15 to its lower position of adjustment, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the remainder of the vein be removed. The vertical adjustment of this cutter l'rame 2i may be accomplished in any preferred manner. In the drawings I have illustrated a hydraulic jack 132- connected. to the main frame casting 7 at 33 and to the crandle casting 16 at 3-. A pump 35, actuated by an eccentric $56 at tachcd to the power shaft .16, supplies the pressure toactuate this jack. As these de .vices form no part of the present invention further description of them is not thought to be required at this time.

The loading mechanism comprises a receiving conveyor having aforward portion extending parallel with and in the same horizontal plane as the lower side of the cutter frame, in position to enterthe kerf formed thereby and to receive the coal as it is severed from the body of the vein, and a rear *ard portion inclined upwardly to discharge said severed material into a loading conveyor by which it is delivered to cars conveniently placed upon the tracks at the rear of the machine.

The receiving conveyor is of a well known type having an endless chain 37 adapted to travel in guide ways 38 and 39 and having laterally extending {lights l0 adapted to engage the coal to more it along a suitable trough +131. Formed onthc conveym' flights all) are upwardly extending sockets ll) in which are secured renewable pick pointed hits it) which extend upwardly above the upper bounding plane oi. the cutter bits 2 Al. the sides of the room, where the depth of the underculfis relatively shallow, the natural cleavage ol the coal may be depended upon to break it down. 'llowards the center of the room, however, the ovcrhaiuging col 1mm of coal attains such thickness that it sometimes fails to break oil. Under such circumstances, when the overhanging mass The guide ways 38 and 39 are formed of lllll lllil suitable structural material and constitute the supporting frame work of the conveyor. At the rearward end of this conveyor is mounted in suitable bearings a vertical sha it is to which is attached the sprocket whecl 4-3 which engages the conveyer chain 37 to drive. it. The v rtical shaft 42 is connected through suitable gearing with the power shaft 18 to actuate the conveyor but as these devices form no part in the present invention description of them is not thought to be required at this time. At the forward end of the conveyor is a forwardly and laterally extending plate l i which affords a sliding support for the conveyor flights l and which is continued rearwardly as the bottom of the trough 41. The plate is is extended laterally towards the cutter bar 31 and constitutes the apron upon which the coal is received as it is dislodged from the body of the vein. Along the advancing edge of the apron f'rf are downwardly projecting lugs so which engage the flange 46 of thecutter arm to support the apron and maintain its operative relation with the cutter bar 81. Mat rial received upon the apron la will be engaged by the flights l0, carried rearwardly of the machine and delivered into a loading conveyor 47 which is pivotally mounted upon a circular extension 48 ofthe main frame casting 7. This leading conveyor is aranged to deliver material received from the gathering conveyor to the car 49 suitably placed upon the mine tracks 50 at the rear of the machine. As the details of construction of these conveyors form no part in the present invention further description of them at this time is not thought to be required.

' The feeding mechanism by which the machine may be moved bodily relative to the material to be mined, and by which the main frame casting 7 may be rotated relative to the pan 1 to arise the cutter bits 23 to cngage the coal to cut it, comprises a winding drum 51 and a feed rope 52 windable thereon. The feed rope 52 is provided at its free end with a terminal 53 adapted to convenientattachment to the abutment upon the pair 1 or to other suitable anchorage, and guide sheaves 55. 56 and 57 are provided upon the turn table to guide the rope 52 in any desired direction. As shown in F 6 the winding drum 51 is mounted upon a vertical shaft 58 journaled in suitable bearings 59 of the main frame casting. Connected with the body of the drum 51 is a suitable friction clutch of well known construction, adapted to be controlled by a hand wheel 60 to connect the said drum with the vertical shaft 58. Attached to the lower end of the vertical shaft=58 is-a worm gear 61 in en gagement with a worm 62 mounted upon a transverse shaft 63 which is journaled in, Sltll'flbl bearings--64 and 65 as shown in Fig.

Fixcdto the shaftl GS isa ratchet wheel (56 engaged by a pawl (57 carried by the ratchet ever 68 which is oscillatableabout the shaft (53. The lever 68 is connected by an eccentric rod (39 with an eccentric 70 a tached to the power shaftlS. By t l e rotation of the eccentric TO the ratchet lever (38 is caused to oscillate thereby rotating the ratchetwheel (S6 and through the worm gear 61 and 62 the winding drum 51. Suitable anchoring devices of any preferred construc tion maybe used to hold the machine to its work during the cutting operation. For purposes of illustration lhave shown at Tl and 72 arms which are hinged to the bottom pan 1 and which are adapted to extend later ally of the machine and to be secured in place by jack posts 72-3. Asthese devices form no part in the present invention description of them is not thought to be required at this time.

After the completion of each cycle of operation the cutter frame 21 will be moved to the right hand side of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 18, and raised to the upper position of vertical adjustment. The anchoring devices 78 will be released, the feed rope 52 passed around the guide sheave 56 and attached to a suitable anchor jack Tel positioned adjacent the coal face on the center line of theworking. ,Vhen the winding drum is actuated the rope will. be wound to draw the machine bodily forward into position to begin the next cycle of operation. The anchoring devices 74: are thenadjusted to hold the sub base 1 in position during the cutting operation and the feedrope passed around the guide sheave and Sound connected to the abutment 5% on the sub base 1 as illustrated inFig. 3 and 14. lVhen now the cutting mechanism is actuated and the feed rope 52 is wound upon the drum 51 the cutter bits 23 will be forced into contact with the coal body to form a kerf above, behind and below. a crescent shaped section of coal to completely sever it from the mine wall. The cuttings produced by the cutter bits 23 will becarried inwardly above said coal section, downwardly behind and outwardly beneath it to be discharged upon the floor of the mine. The volume of this line coal such that if allowed to accumulate along the coal face it would seriously interfere with the operation of the machine. Hcretofore it has liiecn the practice to shovel this accumulation of cuttings away from the path of the machine entailing a large amount of arduous labor, and I have provided the hereinafter de scribed slack reclaiming conveyor with a View to the elimination of suchlabor and the conservation of a large amount of valuable materialf Surroundingthecutter frame 21 near its rearward sa iis th use re ai i g wa &

veyer comprising an endless conduit .7 5 formed of suitable structural steel material and attached to the cutter frame by suitable attachment angles 7 6 and 77. The conduit is of generally rectangular cross section and has a lower horizontal run 78 extending across and beneath the cutter frame in posi tion to contact with the floor of the mine when the cutter frame is in its lowest position of vertical adjustment. The conduit 75 also has an ascending leg 79 at the receding side of the cutter frame adjacent the trough etl of the gathering conveyor, a horizontal run 80 above the cutter frame, and a vertically descending leg 81 at the advancing side of the cutter frame. he ascending and descending legs of the conduit together with the upper horizontal run are completely enclosed while the lower horizontal run is open along its forward side and inclined to the longitudinal lines of the cutter frame in such manner as to present an open front in the direction of its advance through which the slack coal may be gathered from the floor of the mine. An endless chain 82 is arranged to travel in guide ways 83 of the conduit and to this chain are attached laterally extending scraper flights 1 8-1 adapted to engage material in the lower horizontal run 78 and convey it upwardly through the leg 79. Near the upper end of the leg 79 there is provided a window 85 having a discharge lip 86- along its lower edge over which this material is discharged. The conduit is curvedoutwardly at this discharge point to overhang the trough 41 of: the gathering conveyer and the flights 84.- are inclined forwardly in the direction of the chain 82 to insure perfect discharge. Positioned at the upper advancing corner of the conduit is a sprocket wheel 8'? which'cu gages the conveyor chain 82 to drive it. This sprocket wheel 87 is attached to the forward end of a shaft 88 which is journaled in a suitable bearing 89 attached to the plates of the conduit. Attached to the rearward end of the shaft 88 is a bevel gear 90 which meshes with a. similar gen-r91 attached to the shaft 92 supported in a suitable hearing 03 of the machine frame. A sprocket wheel Set is mounted upon the shaft 92 and connected through an endless driving chain 95 with the sprocket wheel 96 fixed to the end of the power shaft 18. A suitable friction clutch 97 is arranged to connect the shaft 92 with the sprocket wheel 9% to control the actuation of the slack conveyor.

While the cutting mechanism is operating to remove the lower section of the coal vein the cutter bits 23 will drag the slack from the kerf over the floor of the mine into po sition to be gathered by the bottom plate 98 of the advancing slack convcyer. and I have provided an adjustable apron which may be moved into position during the removal of wardly from the hinge block 101. is a shaft 102 adapted to rotation about the hinge pin 100 in a plane of the lower side 31 of the cutter frame. Mounted upon the shaft 102 are two collars 103 and 10ft which are rigidly secured to a steel plate 1105 thereby adapting it to rotation about the said shaft. The proportions of the parts above described are such that the plate 10.1) mx'iy lie in the ii'lllllt) plane with and form an extension of the bottom plate 98 of the conveyor comluit. An overlaping lip 106 along the rearward edge of the plate adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the plate 055 to 1nai11- tain such relation between tl'iesc plates. A stud shaft 107 extends downwardly from the collar 104:, perpendicular to the 'ilate 105, and upon this stud is mounted a sleeve 108 attached to a steel plate 109 which is thus supported for rotation thereon imme diately below and in contact with the plate 105. The plate 109 is curved along its forward edge and is of such proportions that it may be rotated upon the stud 107 to con tactwith the coal face in the vertical plane of the cutter bits at any part of the rotation of the cutter frame during the cutting operation. The plates 105 and 100, when thus positioned, constitute an apron upon which thecuttings will be received as they issue from the kerf and along which they will be drawn by the cutter bits 21-3 into the path of the scrapers 84. At the beginning of the cutting operation the plate 100 will be turned to its position of extreme extension, as illustrated in Fig. 13. As the cutter frame travels about the pivot of the turn table towards the center of the room. the plate 109 will bear against the face of the coal and will be pressed rearwardly until it occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 2. As further rotation of the cutter fraune increases the distance from the stud shaft 107 to the coal face, the plate 109 must be rotated forwardly to maintain its contact with the coal face and I have provided at 110a handle by which the operator may manually rotate the plate 109 to preserve such contact. Owing to. the curvature and proportions of the plate 109 this contact with the face of the coal will always be in the vertical plane of the cutter bits thereby insuring the reception of the cuttings by the apron.

As the plates 105 and 109 and their sup porting parts occupy positions below the cutter frame during the removal of the upper section of the coal, it is apparent that they must be removed from such position before adjusting the cutting mechanism to remove the lower section. Preparatory to removing the lower section of coal the plates 105 and 109 are rotated upon the shaft 102 so as to lie in vertical planes, and the sup porting shaft 102 is rotated upon the hinge pin 100 to incline rearwardly in advance of the cutting mechanism as illustrated inl ig. 14;. The plate 109 is thus adapted to contact along its lOWQl' edge with the floor of the mine and to act as a scraper to guide trap; ments of loose material along the tlooro i the mine into the path of the slack conveyer by which they will be reclaimed and loaded into the gathering conveyer for removal from the mine.

l i hat I claim is:

I. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a keri' cutter adapted to term a kert in the mine Wall at thelevel of or spaced above the mine floor, and means .to gather the cuttings produced by the kert cutter from the floor When operating at the floor level or from the mouth of the kert when o tierating above the floor level.

In a machine of a class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable lrer'f cutter adapted to form a kert in the mine Wall at the level of or spaced above the mine floor, and means to gather the cut tings produced by said kerf cutter from the floor oi? the mine when operating at the level of the floor or from the mouth of the hert when operating above the floor level.

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable kerf cutter adapted to form a kerij' in a mine Wall at the level of or spaced above the mine floor, a simultaneously acting conveyer adapted to gather the cuttings produced by the lrert cutter from the floor of the mine when operating at the floor level, and means to convey said cuttings to said conveyer when operating above said floor level.

41:. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable lrert cutter adapted to form a kerit in a mine wall at the level of or spaced above the mine floor, a simultaneously acting couveyer adapted to gather the cuttings produced by said kert' cutter from the floor of the mine when operating at the floor level, and means adapted to cooperate with said kerf cutter to convey said cuttings from the kerf to said conveyer when operating above the floor level.

5. In a machine of theclass described, the combination of a vertically adjustable kerf cutter adapted to form a kert in a mine Wall at the level of or spaced above the mine tloor, a simultaneously acting conveyor adapted to gather the cuttings produced by the kert cutter from the mine floor while operating; at the floor level, and an adjustable apron adapted to cooperate with the the floor level.

6. In a machine of the class described, thev combination of a kert cutter adapted to; lateral movement to form a kert inthelmine, wall, meansto dislodge the material abovesaidkerf, a conveyer adapted to ent'ensaid kert to receive and remove the material as it is'dislodged, and means to reclaim thevcuty tings produced by the kert cutter and deposit them in said conveyer.

T. In a machine of; the classdescribed, the combination oi a vertically adjustable kerf cutter adapted to lateral movement to tornr a kerf in the coal body at the level oi or spaced above the mine floor, means to dislodgcthe material above the kerf, a conveyor:

adapted to follow the kcrt' cutter into the kert to receive and remove the mater al as it,

is dislodged, and an auxiliary conveyer adapted to reclaim the cuttings producedby saidkerit cutter from the floor of the mine during the operation at the floor ,level and deposit them in the first mentioned conveyor,

and means to convey said cuttings trom the kertto the said auxiliaryconveyenduring operation above the floor of the m ne,

8. In a machine oi the class described, the

combination of a vertically adjustable kert cutter adapted to lateral movement to form a kert in the coal body at the-level of or spaced above the mine floor, means to dislodge the material above the kerf, a conveyer adapted to follow the kert cutter into the kert to receive and remove the material as it is dislodged, and an auxiliary conveyer adapted to reclaim the cuttings produced by said kerf cutter from the floor of the mine during operation at the floor level and deposit them in the first mentioned conveyer, and means COOPGIHtlHgWllLlI the kert' cutter to convey said cuttings from the kert \to said auxiliary conveyer during the operation above said floor level.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination ot a vertically adjustable kert cutter adapted to lateral movement to form a kert in a coal body' at the level of or spaced above the mine floor, means to dislodge the I material above the kert, aconveyer adapted v to follow the kert cutter into the keri" to receive and remove the material as it is dislodged, an auxiliary conveyer adapted to reclaim the cuttings produced by said kerf cutter from the i'loor of the mine during the ill) operation at the floor level and deposit them i in the first mentioned conveyer, and an adustable apron adapted to cooperate \viththe kert cutter to convey said cuttings from the kcrt' to said auxiliary conveyer during operation above said floor level.

10. In an apparatus for mining coal, the combmatlon with a kerl cutter having a cutkerf cutter.-

ter chain adapted to be moved laterally along the coal'faceto form a kerf at the level of the mine floor, of simultaneously operable means to reclaim and remove from the mine floor the cuttings produced bysaid 11. In an apparatus for mining coal, the combination with a lterf cutter having a cutter chain adapted to form a kerf in the mine Wall at the level of the mine floor, of simul- 'taneously operable means to reclaim and remove from the mine floor the cuttings produced by said kerf cutter. i

12. In an apparatus for mining coal th combinationwith a kerf cutter having a cutter" chain adapted to be moved laterally along the coal face to form a kerf therein and to discharge thecuttings from said kerlf upon the mine floor, of simultaneously op erable means participating bodily in the movement of said cutter to reclaim and remove said cuttings from said floor.

18.;111 an apparatus for mining coal, the combination of a kerf cutter having a cutter chain adapted to form a kerf in the mine Wall and to discharge the cuttings from said kerf upon'the mine floor, simultaneously operable means to scoop said cuttings from said floor, and means to empty said scoop 14-. In an apparatus for mining coal, the

form a kert' therein and todischarge the slack from said kerf upon the mine floor,

' of simultaneously acting slack collecting means partic pating bodily m the movement of said cutter, said collecting means comprising a scoop having a slack engaging edge at the mine floor angularly disposed to the longitudinal line of the cutter at the mouth of the kerf, and means to empty said scoop. In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

NILS D. LEVIN.

NELS D. LEVEN,

, far the M J: Maura,

Beak. 

